Weekly D'Var

Chanukah FAQs
Al Madansky, z”l
November-December 2010

In past bulletins I have covered the main themes of Chanukah, namely the origins of Chanukah as presented in the Talmud (in my very first bulletin, December 1997) and in the four books of Maccabees (December 1998), and the dating of Chanukah on the 25th of Kislev (December 2006). But I never covered details relating to the celebration of Chanukah. So here goes, in Q&A fashion. 

Q: The miracle celebrated was that oil sufficient to burn for one day burned for eight days. So why not simulate the miracle by lighting eight candles the first day, seven the second day, etc., ending with one candle on the eighth day? 

A: In Shabbat 216 Shammai opined that this is the way to light the candles, but Hillel argued in favor of starting with one candle and lighting an additional one every night, up to eight on the eighth night. Many reasons are given for each position, but Jewish law adopted the position of Hillel.

Q: Should the candles be put into the menorah from left to right or right to left (as you face the menorah), and should they be lit from left to right or right to left? 

A: On the first night we light the candle on the far right side of the Menorah, and every night thereafter we add a candle to the left of that. However, when we light on the second night, and all the subsequent nights, we start by lighting the (new) left candle and then we move left to right, lighting the other candles. In other words, the candles are positioned on the right side of the menorah but we light from left to right (because one pays honor to the newer item first). 

Q: Where should the menorah be placed? 

A: Shabbat 21b: “It is incumbent to place the Hanukkah lamp by the door of one’s house on the outside; if one dwells in an upper chamber, he places it at the window nearest the street.” 

Q: When should the menorah be lit on Friday night? 

A: Before lighting the Shabbat candles. 

Q: When should the menorah be lit on Saturday night? 

A: After the completion of the Havdalah. 

Q: May women make the blessing over the candles and/or light the candles? 

A: The gemara in Shabbat 23a states that women have an obligation to light Chanukah candles because “they were also part of the miracle” (meaning either that they were in the same danger as the men were or that they played a key role in bringing about the salvation). According to Shabbat 21b the mitzvah of Chanukah is an obligation that each house have a candle lit, and a woman certainly can do so and thus may light for others. This point was made in Orchot Chaim, a 14th century work by Rav Aharon HaKohein of Lunel, France, who stated that, though the obligation of a man is with regard to his household, a woman has the ability to fill this role on his behalf. 

Q: May minor children make the blessing over the candles and/or light the candles? 

A: Many decisors permit a child to light with the blessings. 

Q: What are the origins of the Ashkenazic custom of eating latkes and of the Sephardic custom of eating sufganiyot on Chanukah? 

A: The common denominator between sufganiyot and latkes is that they’re deep-fried in oil, supposedly commemorating the miracle of the oil of the Chanukah menorah. Potatoes were more common in Ashkenazic countries while the Sephardic countries had more access to wheat; hence, each culture took what was available, fried it up, and served it. Since neither plain fried potatoes nor fried flour are the most appetizing foods, both cultures augmented the taste of their dishes with apple sauce for latkes and jelly for sufganiyot. See Igros Moshe O.C. 3:95, Y.D. 1:137 and Y.D. 3:52-2, Eishel Avraham (Tanina) O.C. 679